1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a convertible vehicle having a roof kinematic system which movably couples a roof to the vehicle body to be movable between a closed position in which the roof extends over and covers the vehicle interior and a storage position in which the roof is lowered into and stored within a storage compartment of the vehicle.
2. Background Art
DE 103 31 987 A1 (corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 6,962,386) describes a convertible vehicle having a multiple part roof. A roof kinematic system moves the roof between a closed position in which the roof parts extend over and cover the vehicle interior and a storage position in which the roof parts are lowered into and stored within a storage compartment of the vehicle. A cover is movably connected to the vehicle to open and close the compartment. The cover is lowered to close the compartment with the roof stored therein. The cover is raised to provide access for the roof to be moved into and out of the compartment. The cover is kinematically connected, through a connecting link and a transfer link, with a main link of the roof kinematic system. The connecting and transfer links form a kinematic chain such that movement of the main link about its vehicle body-side joint transfers movement to the cover and the cover is raised about its vehicle body-side joint. The cover has along its side edges, extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, a guide slot in which a pin of the connecting link is slidably supported. As an actuator moves the roof kinematic system, the connecting link swivels about a vehicle body-side joint and the pin is guided along in the guide slot on the cover thereby raising the cover. The transfer of movement from the roof kinematic system through the coupling kinematic system to the cover presumes a sliding block guide in the side area of the cover.
DE 101 17 767 A1 describes a cover kinematically coupled to the roof kinematic system. The cover functions as a rear parcel shelf that extends within the vehicle interior beneath the rear roof part when the roof is in the closed position. A coupling kinematic system couples the cover to the roof kinematic system. The coupling kinematic system is an over-center kinematic system which crosses a dead-center position when the roof moves between its closed and storage positions, after which the swinging up movement of the cover to open a passage into the compartment reverses and the cover is closed again. However, the coupling kinematic system is complicated, having six links which control the movement of the cover. At first, the swinging movement of the main link of the roof kinematic system is transferred through a torsionally rigid lever to another intermediate lever, which makes a swinging connection with a body-mounted coupling lever, which in turn is articulately connected to a transfer lever of the cover link. Moreover, a body-mounted control lever makes a swinging connection with the transfer lever of the cover link.